Chickens

Did you know it is chick season?  For those of you that have chickens as pets, Clear the Air would like to share some helpful tips on caring for your chickens.

Remember, to keep chicken odor down, use Clear the Air’s Odor Eliminator – it is non toxic and completely safe even if consumed by your chickens.

Here are some helpful tips on why, what and how for chickens:

Why Raise Chickens?

• Easy and inexpensive to maintain (when compared to most other pets)
• Eggs that are fresh, great-tasting & nutritious
• Chemical-free bug and weed control
• Fun & friendly pets with personality
  

First make sure you can legally own and raise backyard chickens

• Search local chicken laws & ordinances

How To Care For A Chick – First 60 Days:

• A Young Chick Brooder  can be as simple as a sturdy cardboard box or a small animal cage like one you’d use for rabbits.
• Pine shavings work best for flooring.
• The temperature should be 90 to 100 deg. for the first week, decrease 5 deg. per week.  A 100 watt bulb pointing in one corner (not the whole brooder) works well.
• Chick crumbles / starter & a chick waterer work for food and water.
  
• Play with your chicks when young to get the use to being around people.
• Section off an area in your yard where the chicks can explore, scratch, etc.  Make sure you can catch them when it’s time to come in and make sure it is blocked off well enough to keep predators, especially hawks and coyotes, out!
  

Chicken Care After First 60 Days, General Chicken Care:

• Once feathered out you’ll want to move your chickens into a chicken coop.  Rule of thumb is about 2-3 square feet per chicken inside the henhouse and 4-5 sq/ft per chicken in an outside run. Keep local predators in mind and make a safe home for your flock.
• Pine shavings work best for flooring.
• Most people go with chicken layer feed / pellets – available at the Country Feed Store
  
• Vegetables, bread, bugs, chicken scratch (cracked corn, milo, wheat) are great treats for your chicken

The Best Dog Story Ever

We received this yesterday via email.  What an amazing story…a must read!

The best dog story ever

They told me the big black Lab’s name was Reggie, as I looked at him lying in his pen.I’d only been in the area for six months, but everywhere I went in the small college town, people were welcoming and open. Everyone waves when you pass them on the street.

But something was still missing as I attempted to settle in to my new life here, and I thought a dog couldn’t hurt. Give me someone to talk to. And I had just seen Reggie’s advertisement on the local news. The shelter said they had received numerous calls right after, but they said the people who had come down to see him just didn’t look like “Lab people,” whatever that meant. They must’ve thought I did.

But at first, I thought the shelter had misjudged me in giving me Reggie and his things, which consisted of a dog pad, bag of toys almost all of which were brand new tennis balls, his dishes and a sealed letter from his previous owner.

See, Reggie and I didn’t really hit it off when we got home. We struggled for two weeks (which is how long the shelter told me to give him to adjust to his new home). Maybe it was the fact that I was trying to adjust, too. Maybe we were too much alike.

I saw the sealed envelope. I had completely forgotten about that. “Okay, Reggie,” I said out loud, “let’s see if your previous owner has any advice.”

“To Whomever Gets My Dog:

Well, I can’t say that I’m happy you’re reading this, a letter I told the shelter could only be opened by Reggie’s new owner. I’m not even happy writing it. He knew something was different.

So let me tell you about my Lab in the hopes that it will help you bond with him and he with you.

First, he loves tennis balls. The more the merrier. Sometimes I think he’s part squirrel, the way he hoards them. He usually always has two in his mouth, and he tries to get a third in there. Hasn’t done it yet. Doesn’t matter where you throw them, he’ll bound after them, so be careful. Don’t do it by any roads.

Next, commands. Reggie knows the obvious ones —“sit,” “stay,” “come,” “heel.”

He knows hand signals, too: He knows “ball” and “food” and “bone” and “treat” like nobody’s business.

Feeding schedule: twice a day, regular store-bought stuff; the shelter has the brand.

He’s up on his shots. Be forewarned: Reggie hates the vet. Good luck getting him in the car. I don’t know how he knows when it’s time to go to the vet, but he knows.

Finally, give him some time. It’s only been Reggie and me for his whole life. He’s gone everywhere with me, so please include him on your daily car rides if you can. He sits well in the backseat, and he doesn’t bark or complain. He just loves to be around people, and me most especially.

And that’s why I need to share one more bit of info with you…His name’s not Reggie. He’s a smart dog, he’ll get used to it and will respond to it, of that I have no doubt. But I just couldn’t bear to give them his real name. But if someone is reading this … Well it means that his new owner should know his real name. His real name is “Tank.” Because, that is what I drive.

I told the shelter that they couldn’t make “Reggie” available for adoption until they received word from my company commander. You see, my parents are gone, I have no siblings, no one I could’ve left Tank with … And it was my only real request of the Army upon my deployment to Iraq, that they make one phone call to the shelter … In the “event” … To tell them that Tank could be put up for adoption. Luckily, my CO is a dog-guy, too, and he knew where my platoon was headed. He said he’d do it personally. And if you’re reading this, then he made good on his word.

Tank has been my family for the last six years, almost as long as the Army has been my family. And now I hope and pray that you make him part of your family, too, and that he will adjust and come to love you the same way he loved me.

If I have to give up Tank to keep, he is my example of service and of love. I hope I honored him by my service to my country and comrades.

All right, that’s enough. I deploy this evening and have to drop this letter off at the shelter. Maybe I’ll peek in on him and see if he finally got that third tennis ball in his mouth.

Good luck with Tank. Give him a good home, and give him an extra kiss goodnight – every night – from me.

Thank you,

Paul Mallory”

I folded the letter and slipped it back in the envelope. Sure, I had heard of Paul Mallory, everyone in town knew him, even new people like me. Local kid, killed in Iraq a few months ago and posthumously earning the Silver Star when he gave his life to save three buddies. Flags have been at half-mast all summer.

I leaned forward in my chair and rested my elbows on my knees, staring at the dog.

“Hey, Tank,” I said quietly.

The dog’s head whipped up, his ears cocked and his eyes bright.

“C’mere boy.”

He was instantly on his feet, his nails clicking on the hardwood floor. He sat in front of me, his head tilted, searching for the name he hadn’t heard in months. “Tank,” I whispered.

His tail swished.

I kept whispering his name, over and over, and each time, his ears lowered, his eyes softened, and his posture relaxed as a wave of contentment just seemed to flood him. I stroked his ears, rubbed his shoulders, buried my face into his scruff and hugged him.

“It’s me now, Tank, just you and me. Your old pal gave you to me.” Tank reached up and licked my cheek.

“So whatdaya say we play some ball?” His ears perked again.

“Yeah? Ball? You like that? Ball?”

Tank tore from my hands and disappeared into the next room.  And when he came back, he had three tennis balls in his mouth.

If you can read this without getting a lump in your throat or a tear in your eye, you just ain’t right.

A veteran is someone who, at one point, wrote a blank check made payable to ‘The United States of America’ for an amount of ‘up to and including their life.’

That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.

“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” G. K. Chesterto occasion

Dead Rodent Odor

If you have had the unfortunate experience of finding rodents dwelling in the walls of your home, you may have taken some steps to eliminate these rodents.  Unfortunately, when poison is placed in the walls for these rodents, the smelly odor of the dead rodent carcass usually follows soon after.  While you no longer have the problem of a rat infestation, you are now faced with an unavoidable odor that is very obvious to your senses until the rat’s body completely decomposes.

Instead of tearing down the walls in  your house to retrieve the dead carcass and get rid of the odor, you can use a much simpler and cost effective solution – Clear the Air Odor Remover Bags.  Clear the Air Bags do not have to come in contact with the dead rodent or odor causing agent.  Simply hang a bag near the odor and in 24 hours the odor will be gone, 100% guaranteed.  Clear the Air is made from an all natural mineral, is non toxic and biodegradable – all safe for Planet Earth!

If you have a strong odor in your house and can not get to the source to remove it, Clear the Air Odor Remover Bags are what you need.  Click Here to order bags and learn how to use them.  We guarantee our product 100% and if you have any questions or concerns, click here to call or email us.

Choosing The Correct Leash For Your Dog

Choosing the correct leash for your dog is important.

Clear the Air would like to share some important information to help find the right leash for your dog.

Just as with collars, size is important for leashes as well.  The size of the leash must be appropriate for not only the size of the dog but the type of collar as well.  A thin lightweight leash is more appropriate for a smaller dog like a Yorkshire Terrier than a larger Golden Retriever.  The metal clip on the end of a smaller/thinner leash may break from the pressure of a larger stronger dog pulling on it, allowing your dog to get away from you.

A Basic Leash is versatile and not only can you use it in an emergency to take your dog out, you can also make a muzzle out of it if need be.

Retractable Leashes includes a thin cord wound onto a spring-loaded device inside a plastic handle.  This allows your dog to have a bit more free range than a basic leash and when he walks back towards you, the leash retracts.  While these leashes are nice to provide more freedom for your dog to explore his environment on a walk, there are some drawbacks and they can be potentially dangerous. Even if you are paying close attention to your dog, he has the ability to run into traffic, jump on people or get in a fight with another dog.  The cord can also break should the dog be large and strong.  Opposed to a basic leash, the handle of a retractable leash is bulky and can easily be pulled out or your hands.

A Long Line, like it says, is simply a very long leash and is typically used for training your dog.  Make sure to use this type of leash in a safe area like a field, completely away from any traffic or other potential danger.  A long line is helpful to teach your dog the “come” command out in the open.

Slip Leads look like a regular basic leash but instead of a clip on the end is a metal ring to loop the leash through.  This allows you to walk your dog when he doesn’t have a collar on – simply putting the loop over your dogs head.  Pulling on the handle of the leash will automatically tighten the loop around your dogs’ neck.  Only use these when a regular collar and leash aren’t available.  Since you cannot control the tightness of a slip lead you can risk damaging your dog’s neck or even strangling him.

Please keep Clear the Air’s Odor Eliminator’s in mind when picking up after your pup.  Whether your dog repeatedly urinates in your dog run and the concrete has become smelly or your dog has accidents in the house, Clear the Air is guaranteed to eliminate the odor.

Eliminating Odors in your Car

Car, truck and van odors can be eliminated with Clear the Air.

Tobacco smoke, spilled food, road kill, skunk odor, gasoline, smog, “doggie” smell, urine and mildew odors are common odors that stink up our cars. Air fresheners just mask the odors and often smell worst than the offensive odor, car details are expensive, and shampooing often just spreads the smell around. Earth Care Odor Remover Bags can simply be placed in your car and they will completely eliminate all these odors.

Earth Care draws in odors like a powerful magnet.  The odors are absorbed, and neutralized without any fragrances. It is made from an all  natural mineral, is non toxic and biodegradable and safe for Planet Earth.  It is also safe around children and pets even if eaten. It does not have to come into contact with the odor producer to eliminate the odor. Earth Care does not cover up odors, it literally “clears the air” leaving the air fresh and clean!

If you experience any type of odor in your car, truck or van, use Clear the Air.  We guarantee it to completely eliminate any odor.

Directions To Eliminate Odors From Your Car

• Hang or place one or two bags in car.
• Leave windows open for air circulation.
• Do not set bag in direct sun, can be placed under the car seat.
• If there are strong odors in your car you may also want to sprinkle Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Carpets and Furniture on all upholstery and carpet. Leave down overnight and vacuum. All odors will be completely eliminated.
• The bags will continue to eliminate new odors for up to 3 months. Each bag will cover approximately 100 square feet, some air circulation is best.

The Unique Bond With Your Cat

Cats, their owners and the unique bond that is created.

A new study conducted by Kelton Research reveals that Americans share a powerful bond with their furry felines in a relationship only they understand.  They found that 31% of survey takers admitted that they’d rather speak with their cat after a long tiresome day than with their best friend, children or parents.  This is because 33% of the surveyors say they believe they communicate better with their cat than their significant other.

Cat owners are very secure in the bond they have with their cat.  According to the survey, almost all cat owners (97%) said they can name at least one emotion or state of mind that they can easily decipher from the way their cat acts.  Moods such as hunger, happiness and fear were all emotions cat owners could easily see in their cat.

The study also found that a lot of pet owners relate their cat’s inner voice to a celebrity.  According to the survey, 18 percent said that if their cat could talk they would sound like the popular talk show host Ellen Degeneres.  Thirteen percent said Fran Dresher while 12 percent said Sean Connery.

According to the survey, when it comes to communication between cats and their pet parents, 20% of parents believe their cat is trying to communicate with them through gestures or sounds.  On average, cat owners believe their feline companions understand about 13 different words.

Cats are members of the family and people rely on them for companionship.  When a bond is formed between pet parents and their cats, it extends beyond meows to an innate relationship that provides an even deeper understanding.

Do you feel you have a deep bond with your cat?  Cats and other domesticated animals provide unconditional love for their family and it is amazing what kind of a bond you can develop with your pet.

Pet Spending At An All Time High

As one would think, during a recession people would spend less on extras for their pets.  However, annual spending on pets has reached an all time high.

In 2011, American Pet Products Association reported that Americans spent $50.96 billion on their pets – an all time high and the first time in history more than $50 billion has gone to dogs, cats, canaries, guppies and the sort.

65% of that spending was for food and vet costs.  However, the service category, such as grooming, boarding, pet hotels, pet sitting and day care, grew more than any other.  It rose 7.9% from $3.51 billion in 2010 to $3.79 billion in 2011.

Owners are conscious about taking care of their pets and are planning ahead for when they go on vacation.  Numbers indicate that animal sales and adoptions are flattening out and the number of people switching to a high end food products are topping out.  Pet ownership has become less of an impulse decision and seems that those that have made the commitment to having a pet want to do it right and make their pets the happiest they can be.

Another area in the pet industry is pet insurance and is expected to grow rapidly.  In 2011, insurance was estimated to be at $450 million and is expected to grow over $500 million in 2012.

Entrepreneurs and investors are also taking advantage of the growing pet industry as consumers are looking for creative and innovative products.  Products such as puzzle feeders for dogs along with bionic toys for destructive toys are some of the new products the pet industry is seeing consumers go after.  This proves people care about their pets enough to calm any type of separation anxiety or destructive issues.

Always keep in mind Clear the Air offers wonderful range of Odor Eliminator products to make your pet enjoyably odor free!

Friday Cat Facts

Happy Friday!  We’d like to share some Fun Friday Cat Facts with everyone:

• It has been scientifically proven that stroking a cat can lower one’s blood pressure.
• In 1987, cats overtook dogs as the number one pet in America (about 50 million cats resided in 24 million homes in 1986). About 37% of American homes today have at least one cat.
• If your cat snores or rolls over on his back to expose his belly, it means he trusts you.
• Cats respond better to women than to men, probably due to the fact that women’s voices have a higher pitch.
• In an average year, cat owners in the United States spend over $2 billion on cat food.
• According to a Gallup poll, most American pet owners obtain their cats by adopting strays.
• When your cats rubs up against you, she is actually marking you as “hers” with her scent. If your cat pushes his face against your head, it is a sign of acceptance and affection.

• Contrary to popular belief, people are not allergic to cat fur, dander, saliva, or urine – they are allergic to “sebum,” a fatty substance secreted by the cat’s sebaceous glands. More interesting, someone who is allergic to one cat may not be allergic to another cat. Though there isn’t (yet) a way of predicting which cat is more likely to cause allergic reactions, it has been proven that male cats shed much greater amounts of allergen than females. A neutered male, however, sheds much less than a non-neutered male.
• Cat bites are more likely to become infected than dog bites.
• In just 7 years, one un-spayed female cat and one un-neutered male cat and their offspring can result in 420,000 kittens.
• Some notable people who disliked cats:  Napoleon Bonaparte, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Hitler.

• Both humans and cats have identical regions in the brain responsible for emotion.
• A cat’s brain is more similar to a man’s brain than that of a dog.
• A cat has more bones than a human; humans have 206, but the cat has 230 (some cites list 245 bones, and state that bones may fuse together as the cat ages).
• Cats have 30 vertebrae (humans have 33 vertebrae during early development; 26 after the sacral and coccygeal regions fuse.
• The cat’s clavicle, or collarbone, does not connect with other bones but is buried in the muscles of the shoulder region. This lack of a functioning collarbone allows them to fit through any opening the size of their head.

Is Your Cat Overweight?

Is your cat overweight?  Are you gone for most of the day at work and notice your cat lying in the same position he was when you left in the morning?

Here are some helpful cat exercising tips to us on your furry feline companion.

Purchase Cat Toys – You can either make cat toys or visit The Country Feed Store to purchase cat toys that will encourage your cat to get moving.

Laser Pointers – Shining a laser pointer on the floor and wall will almost instantly encourage your cat to get up and “attack” the laser light.  Remember, cats are naturally curious and are easily tempted to catch something that will peak his interest.  You can also use a flashlight if you do not have a laser pointer.

Boxes or Paper Bags – These are easy inexpensive toys that cats just can’t leave alone.  It will provide entertainment for your cat especially while you are away at work.

Hunting for Treats – Placing treats or a few of your cats kibbles in different places each day will help encourage your cat to get up and move around to hunt for his food.  Your cat is naturally a hunter and bringing this out in him will help him exercise naturally.

Exercising your cat is not difficult, along with helping him to lose weight; it makes a big difference to his overall health and happiness.

Helpful Tips for Spring Cleaning

Spring is upon us and we’d like to share some easy spring cleaning tips.

Remember, if you have any foul odors lingering in your home, always make sure to use Clear the Air to completely eliminate those odors!

Come up with a game plan – Jot down the areas of your home that you need to clean, come up with a plan and be sure to budget in time for distractions so you won’t get discouraged after just a few hours cleaning.  In essence, make a reasonable plan of attack that has at least a 98% chance of being accomplished!

Make sure you have your supplies first – There is nothing more frustrating than to start a project {or Spring cleaning} only to find that you’re out of supplies.

Ask for help from your family – Having small tasks to accomplish while growing up gives children a feeling of accomplishment.  Delegate tasks for your children based on their age.  Or, if you wish, you can bring them over to their grandparents while you crank up the music and get cleaning!

Take on one task at a time – It’s exciting to get started cleaning and sometimes you may tend to get distracted with various projects throughout the house.  It is incredibly helpful and sanity-saving to work on one area at a time.  Inadvertently, piles of stuff will migrate to other rooms in your house, but those can be tackled when you get to them.

De-clutter Before Cleaning – It is frustrating to be ready to dust an area only to realize that you have to move 15 knick-knacks, 10 pieces of junk mail, broken crayons and wadded up tissues before you can get started. Save yourself a headache and get rid of the garbage and extraneous clutter before cleaning.

Use storage bins for organization – Instead of just dividing up things into separate piles that will likely get knocked over or mixed up, use plastic bins to keep them organized. Have a bin for garage sale items, items to donate, garbage and things that need to be returned to others.

Start at the top and work to the bottom – Let gravity make your job easier by working with it!  Start at the ceiling by dusting the ceiling fan or light fixture then get all the spider webs off the crown molding.  Work your way down the walls, over the furniture, all the way to the baseboards and flooring.

Get a new look – Since it’s Spring, try switching out heavy, darker items out with lighter and brighter accessories.  You can do this with all the decorations you already have.

Come up with a daily cleaning schedule – After all your hard work is done, make sure that you have a good cleaning schedule in place.  Whether you need to make one from scratch or update the one you have, set small daily tasks that will help keep your house in order until next Spring…or until you decide to deep clean your house again!